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India’s Asian Games Results Reveal Olympic Strengths and Gaps
India won 85 medals at the Asian Games in Nagoya and finished fourth.
It won fewer medals than at the previous Games in Hangzhou.
Many of its gold medals came from teams, while many individual athletes won silver.
Some gold medallists were not in the government’s main elite-sports funding group.
That has led to questions about whether promising athletes are identified and supported early enough.
The government says it regularly reviews athletes and will assess results below expectations.
India also had good news, including gold in women’s hockey and individual recurve archery.
The results offer hope for the 2028 Olympics, but also show areas where India needs to improve.
India finished fourth in Nagoya with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals, falling short of its 100-medal target.
Thirteen golds came from team events, while 19 of India’s 27 silver medals came in individual events.
Several gold medallists, including Kumkum Mohod and Neeru Dhanda, were outside the core group of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
The Sports Ministry said Rs 97.84 crore was spent through TOPS during the Asian Games cycle; Rs 2.05 crore was spent on athletes who won gold.
India showed progress in events including women’s hockey and archery, but badminton, weightlifting, athletics and shooting raised concerns.
- Who
- India’s Asian Games athletes and the Sports Ministry.
- What
- India finished fourth with 85 medals, prompting a review of performance and elite-athlete funding.
- Where
- Nagoya, Japan.
- When
- At the Asian Games in Nagoya, which concluded Sunday; the article does not specify the date.
- Why
- The results showed both progress and gaps as India prepares for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Concerns about funding and results
Ministry’s response and signs of progress
Whether elite athletes are identified early enough
Concerns about funding and results
A federation official questioned whether the system identifies eventual medal winners early enough for investment to reach them, noting that some Nagoya gold medallists were outside or only recently added to TOPS.
Ministry’s response and signs of progress
The Sports Ministry said TOPS uses continuous evaluation and regularly assesses athletes for induction into development and core groups based on performance, potential and medal prospects.
How to judge the campaign
Concerns about funding and results
India missed its 100-medal target, won 21 fewer medals than at Hangzhou, and saw concerns in several established sports.
Ministry’s response and signs of progress
Adille Sumariwala said individual performances were satisfying and that improvement should be tracked alongside medal counts; the Ministry described the contingent’s performance as encouraging and said it would review areas below expectations.
Key facts
- Final standing
- Fourth place
- Medal total
- 85: 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze
- Target
- India fell short of its 100-medal target
- Team-event golds
- 13 of India’s 21 gold medals came in team events
- Individual-event silvers
- 19 of India’s 27 silver medals came in individual events
- TOPS spending
- Rs 97.84 crore during the Asian Games cycle; Rs 2.05 crore was spent on athletes who won gold
- Next Olympic Games
- Los Angeles 2028
Quotes
A senior official of a sports federation
Official of a federation governing an Olympic sport in India
“The pattern was seen during the Paris Olympics too, and raises a question over whether the system is identifying the athletes who will eventually deliver at the biggest events early enough for that investment to follow them.”
indianexpress.com
“Where performance has been below expectations, a thorough assessment will be undertaken to identify gaps, draw lessons and strengthen preparations, with a clear focus on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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